The Kestrel and the Dawn
by Fire in the Willows
Summary: When Dawnflower of LakeClan receives a prophecy about her and Kestrelclaw of WildClan, they set off on an adventure, not knowing anything about each other. But through everything that they go through, will love shine into their lives? For the "Til Death Do Us Part" challenge on the Warriors Challenge Forum.


**AN: Okay, here's the "Until Death Do Us Part" Challenge, off the Warriors Challenge Forum, by Hunter of Sacred Dreams, formerly Waterstar03! Characters, description, and prophecy are below, please enjoy!**

Dawnpetal (Red and white spotted tabby she-cat) Withdrawn, quiet, nervous, jumpy, yet smart and cunning {Apprentice medicine cat of LakeClan}

Kestrelclaw (Brown tom with black patches) Confident, charming, headstrong {Warrior of WildClan}

_At dawn the kestrel must fly, carrying a petal in its beak, to the stony shores of the great water. There, she must call out to the wind and the savior will be revealed._

**Prologue**

Cats milled about, the moon shone silver and full, the trees casting shadows into the hollow. The four leaders spoke on the Great Stone, then Rainstar jumped to the front.

"Welcome, Clans, to the Gathering. I shall go first. LakeClan has prospered over the moon, and we have two new litters of kits; Suncloud had three kits and Stormleaf had two." Rainstar paused. "We also found a rabbit just across the border with BreezeClan, tainted with their scent. This is a violation of the Warrior Code. We remind our fellow Clans that if LakeClan warriors see another Clan stealing our prey, they are justified to attack."

Snowstar, leader of BreezeClan, dipped her head. "We understand, Rainstar. I shall be sure to check around my Clan for the violator." She stepped forward. "If LakeClan is done, BreezeClan will proceed." She glanced at Rainstar, who dipped his head. She took a deep breath.

"BreezeClan has been having some slight difficulties finding clean water. Twoleg water-monsters go up and down our stretch of the river, polluting it with their dirt. We cannot drink it- it poisons the stomach and causes cats to be violently sick. We ask that BreezeClan kits, queens, and elders be escorted from our border to live- _temporarily- _in WildClan, until the green-leaf water-monsters have left the river."

Before she even finished, WildClan and DuskClan warriors alike were in uproar. A dusty brown DuskClan warrior yowled, "A violation of the Warrior Code!". A WildClan queen, heavily burdened with kits, pressed herself to the ground and flattened her ears.

"ENOUGH!"

Thunderstar of WildClan stood at the fore of the Great Stone, golden-ginger pelt shining silver-white. "Enough!" He repeated. He turned his brilliantly dark blue gaze on the defiant Snowstar. "Your cats are welcome in our camp. We will set up separate quarters for them, and treat them fairly."

Snowstar nodded deeply, her relieved tone still soft and civil. "Thank you, Thunderstar."

"If you're all done acting like a bunch of anarchist rogues, WildClan will speak now." Thunderstar's condescending tone caused the rowdy warriors to lower their heads in shame. "WildClan is doing quite well. Our medicine stocks are good and our warriors are strong. A new warrior joined our ranks- Kestrelclaw!"

A brown tom with curious darker patches stood up to cheers of his name. He tossed his head confidently, then sat back down.

Redstar of DuskClan waited for the applause to die down, then took Thunderstar's place on the Stone. "Our streams and ponds are drying slightly due to the green-leaf heat, but we are coping just fine. The she-cat Windleaf has moved to the nursery, expecting Cougarclaw's kits."

Rainstar looked around. "Is that all?"

Down below, a young she-cat glanced around nervously. She sat with the medicine cats, right in front of the deputies. Her ears- one white, one a curious red, were flattened against her head. Another she-cat murmured something to her- this one was older, a mentor.

"I- I have something to- to say to the Clans. Excuse me, Rainstar." she said nervously, dipping her head respectfully to her leader.

"Please, go on, Dawnflower." he replied.

She took a deep breath. "StarClan has sent me a message. _At dawn the kestrel must fly, carrying a petal in its beak, to the rocky shores of the great water. There, she must call out to the wind, and the savior will be revealed._"

The Clans erupted in excitement. It was only Thunderstar screeching at the top of his lungs that made them calm down again.

"This message was given to me by a mousy brown she-cat. Thin, wiry, small. Then, four other cats came into the clearing where we were standing- a fluffy black she-cat, a big ginger tom, a silvery gray tom, and a faded cat, whose gender I couldn't tell. They told me, _find those long faded, to save your Clans. _Then I woke up."

The Clan leaders huddled together to discuss it, while the other cats gathered into smaller groups.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of silver-white light lit up the clearing. It transformed into a night-time meadow- thick green grass, tall healthy trees, a glittering stream of starlit water.

Only two cats remained.

Dawnpetal, looking frightened, yet curious all the same, fixed her wide amber-green gaze on the other cat.

"K- Kestrelclaw." she gasped, recognizing the black patches on brown fur.

The young warrior, spun around, his dark amber eyes focusing directly on Dawnpetal. "You're a medicine cat- do you know where we are?"

"You are in the hunting grounds of StarClan."

Both cats spun around towards the voice.

It was a silvery-white she-cat with shining, crystal blue eyes. Her pelt shone with stars, knowledge glowed in her eyes.

"I am Star, the least known Founder except Sky. Only those with the greatest of connections with StarClan know me. I have chosen you to complete a task."

"What task?" Kestrelclaw asked.

"Find the lost Clans of old times. Your own Clans were created by such- LakeClan is just the descendants of a straggling group of original Clan cats. WildClan was formed by rogues and wildcats, BreezeClan by former kittypets, and DuskClan by renegades and outcasts. The original Clans were ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ShadowClan."

The two living cats sat in shock, ingesting this new information. It went against all the memories of the Clans.

"But why us?" Dawnpetal asked.

"You both have pure strains of original blood. The Founders will be more likely to come to you then any other cat."

"How? I thought WildClan was the rogues?" Kestrelclaw asked.

"Forbidden mating between Clans."

"Oh." He was quiet, then spoke again. "So, where are we going?"

"All the answers are in the message." Star replied cryptically. "Farewell, my young friends. Leave as the moon wanes and the sun climbs the sky."

The meadow lit in a brilliant flash of pale starlight and the two cats reappeared at the Gathering, amid mass confusion.

Dawnpetal's mentor rushed up to the young she-cat, demanding to know if she was injured or harmed. Another older she-cat bounded to Kestrelclaw's side, covering his face in licks. Obviously his mother.

The brown tom raised his voice over the squalling masses. "Me and Dawnpetal have been chosen for a task by StarClan themselves! We leave tomorrow as the sun rises."

Dawnpetal was surprised at his boldness. Most cats were shy where StarClan was involved.

Or maybe he just wasn't shy. Unlike her.

Thunderstar and Rainstar looked at each other, then at the two cats.

"Then I suppose this Gathering is over. Thank you, and may StarClan guide you until next we meet." Redstar said, jumping off the Great Stone.

Kestrelclaw looked squarely at Dawnpetal. "Meet here, as the sun rises, tomorrow. Then we'll go."

"Okay." she replied, turning around and joining the rest of her Clan to head back to LakeClan territory.

~*~DAWNPETAL~*~

When I got back I went to the medicine den to sleep. My mind buzzed and my heart pounded. Why had _I _been chosen for a mission from StarClan?

After awhile, I finally drifted off to sleep.

I had the same dream I'd been having for the last half-moon; I was falling down, down, down... until a flash of color leaped out of nowhere and caught me.

A paw prodded me awake. I opened my eyes and saw my mentor's sand-colored fur.

"Wake up, Dawnpetal. Come on- I've got the traveling herbs for you."

I loved Hareclaw. She had been trained as a warrior, but she had accidentally killed in a battle. The event put her into shock, and she still had nightmares about it. She'd discovered that her true path was the one of a medicine cat.

I rubbed a paw over my face and blinked. Hareclaw was sitting in the entrance, looking at me with amused amber eyes. "Sleep late?" she asked lightly.

"Rmrgrmmm." I grumbled, looking around.

She purred. "Well. Do you need some water?"

I nodded.

"Good. Go get some." She turned around and began sorting herbs.

"Argh." I staggered over to the little run-off pool in the center of our medicine den. The water was cool and fresh as it ran down my throat.

I straightened up and looked around. Hareclaw was still sorting herbs. I heard vague murmurs of conversation outside.

As I wandered outside, it became quiet. Then my mother, Fernwind, walked slowly up to me and looked at me with big, sad, green eyes. I laid my tail over her shoulder reassuringly. She looked at it, then back at me again. Very slight tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Do you have to go?" she asked.

I could only nod.

"Then do me a favor and come back." she said, her voice breaking. "You're the only thing I have left."

"I-" I cleared my throat and tried again. "I will. Don't worry."

"A patrol of two warriors will escort you to the Great Stone. May StarClan go with you." Rainstar's voice echoed from behind me.

I turned around and dipped my head. "Thank you, Rainstar. May they light your path until we see each other again." My voice sounded far away.

I grabbed the herbs that Hareclaw was holding out and left the camp. The two warriors sent with me loped out and walked one on either side of me.

It seemed that we arrived at the Great Stone in only a matter of heartbeats. A patrol from WildClan was already there with Kestrelclaw.

I set down the herbs and ate my share, then pushed the remainder to Kestrelclaw, who ate it with a pained expression.

We shared a glance, then looked to the warriors that had accompanied us. We exchanged good-byes, then we began our long journey.


End file.
